Hurricanes tighten – Carolina’s Taylor Hall points to defence as the swing factor after the Hurricanes were outscored 9-1 in the second period, and with Game 5 looming the spotlight is already on Jack Eichel’s scoreless series amid ongoing comeback magic.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Taylor Hall knows exactly what has separated Carolina’s best moments from its worst ones in this Stanley Cup Final. He’s watched his Hurricanes go from allowing 1.62 goals per game through the first three rounds to an even four goals per game in the Final — and he’s focused on a very specific problem area.
Hall didn’t wrap it in slogans. His point was blunt: the series could be decided by who survives the other’s momentum swings when goals start coming in bunches. His hope is that Carolina is the side that takes over when it matters most.
“Not ground-breaking news. but it’s going to be the team that allows one or two that’s going to be the team that kind of takes over the series — we’re hoping that it’s us. ” Hall said. He also insisted that the kind of scoring explosion this Final has produced so far isn’t guaranteed to keep repeating.
“I don’t think you can expect a nine-goal game again tonight.”
For the Hurricanes, the second period has been the clearest warning light. Hall highlighted that they’ve been outscored 9-1 in that stretch, even as the first periods have worked better for them.
“First periods have been really good for us, it’s the second that we’ve kind of allowed some goals and ultimately momentum to take over,” Hall said. “So, bit of a focus for us.”
That defence-first framing is hard to ignore when you consider the comeback history already on display in this Final. Hall and the room around the team talked about the improbable nature of it — whether it’s an NHL club coming back from a four-goal deficit in the third period of a Stanley Cup Final like the Hurricanes did in Game 3. or the NBA reference to a team erasing a 29-point deficit like the Knicks did on Wednesday night. For Hurricanes players, the common thread is simple: the only question that matters afterward is who finished the job.
Jalen Chatfield summed up the sting of a loss without dressing it up.
“Who won the game?” he said. “I mean, we didn’t win. They did. None of us are gonna think back on that game like it was a great experience. Obviously we lost, so it hurts.”
Then he put a yardstick on “experience” versus outcome.
“They got the job done, and we didn’t fully complete it, so it’s not the same,” Chatfield said.
Jordan Martinook offered a different perspective on why the NHL’s swings still feel so astonishing compared to what fans see elsewhere.
“The hockey part seems more incredible,” Martinook said. “The way the NBA has gone with three-pointers — if you start making a bunch you can start erasing big chunks of a lead.”
The other storyline tugging at Carolina’s defensive focus is the pressure building around Jack Eichel. After Thursday morning’s skate, the Golden Knights captain had a “massive gathering” waiting for him in the locker room as the heat increased on him to make a tangible impact.
Eichel has yet to score in the series and has two assists on a top line that has produced only two of the team’s 16 goals against Carolina. He’s had chances. He hit the crossbar in Game 4. and after seeing that close but not go in. he leaned on the same theme Hall voiced: he needs to be better to help his team win.
“Had a few chances so far this series. and obviously want to see them go to make a difference for the team. however that is. ” Eichel said. “Knowing that I need to be better in order for us to win. You always want to be better. I think I’m probably my hardest critic. I always believe I can play better and do more and contribute more.”.
Carolina’s own special-teams luck has swung. too — and Nikolaj Ehlers became the latest example of how quickly a Final can go from messy to wildly memorable. Captain Jordan Staal’s two-goal performance on Tuesday included an “all-time winner. ” but Vegas kept pressing late with the goalie pulled and a tie always within reach.
That’s when Ehlers’ empty-net insurance marker arrived — bizarre, desperate, and somehow perfect.
The Hurricanes winger was nearly behind Brandon Bussi’s net when his hard, desperate clearing attempt took a favourable ricochet off a stanchion and went all the way into the Golden Knights’ vacant cage.
Ehlers, who previously clanged a crossbar on an empty-net attempt during the Eastern Conference final and missed depositing another easy empty-net goal in the regular season, said the moment felt different because of the way it landed.
“The guys have been making a little fun of that after the one (in Game 4),” Ehlers said, smiling. “Apparently, I don’t like having the empty net right in front of me. So that one felt pretty good.”
With Carolina trimming this potential classic to a best-of-three, Thursday’s Game 5 carries weight beyond emotion. The numbers are clear: when a best-of-seven Cup Final is tied 2-2. the Game 5 victor lifts Lord Stanley’s mug nearly 75 per cent of the time (20-7; .741). The odds rise to 83.3 per cent if the home team wins Game 5 (15-3 record). If the road team wins Game 5, the Cup win rate drops to 55.6 per cent (5-4).
Still, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour isn’t treating home-ice advantage as comfort. He reminded the team that they had to earn it.
“You wouldn’t get here if you didn’t play well on the road,” Brind’Amour said.
History doesn’t make this simple either. The Golden Knights are 6-2 all-time in best-of-seven series when tied 2-2, but they’ve never won a series when trailing 3-2. The Hurricanes are 8-7 all-time when tied 2-2 and 10-1 when leading a series 3-2.
For Carolina, defensive responsibility also comes through in the quiet work of K’Andre Miller. While he’s only registered one assist, the Hurricanes’ most-used skater has already logged more than 101 minutes in the series. He’s been soaking up hard matchups. blocking shots. and tilting the ice to 59 per cent of shot attempts while starting just 36 per cent of his offensive-zone shifts.
Seth Jarvis doesn’t hesitate when he’s asked about the impact.
“He’s incredible,” Jarvis beamed. “That guy is probably the most underrated part of our run so far. just the way he’s able to eat minutes. He reminds me a lot of Slava with the skating, his length, and the offence he brings is awesome. Just the way he’s able to move the puck himself. create plays like you saw against Montreal a few times. and the way he controls the game back there has been massive.”.
Brind’Amour, with the series’ lone multi-goal victory coming in Game 4, has no reason to shake things up. The Hurricanes are expected to roll with the same lineup that defeated Vegas in Game 4. and that must include Brandon Bussi between the pipes. Frederik Andersen, who missed Game 4, returned to the ice before the team skate, and Brind’Amour said “everyone is available.”.
Carolina’s likely lineup:
Svechnikov – Aho – MartinookHall – Stankoven – BlakeEhlers – Staal – JarvisCarrier – Jankowski – Robinson
Defense:
Slavin – ChatfieldMiller – WalkerGostisbehere – Nikishin
Vegas expected lineup:
Barbashev – Eichel – StoneHowden – Karlsson – MarnerHertl – Sissons – DorofeyevSmith – Dowd – Kolesar
Defense:
McNabb – TheodoreHanifin – AnderssonCoghlan – Lauzon
Stanley Cup Final Carolina Hurricanes Vegas Golden Knights Taylor Hall Jack Eichel Nikolaj Ehlers Jordan Staal Brandon Bussi Rod Brind’Amour K’Andre Miller Game 5
So the defense is the real issue? Shocking.
I don’t get how they can be outscored 9-1 in one period and still call it “momentum.” Like isn’t that just… defense? Also Jack Eichel being scoreless feels like a curse.
Eichel scoreless but everybody keeps talking about “pressure” like he’s the only problem? Hurricanes defense, sure, but maybe the other team’s goalie is just standing on his head or whatever. If they “tighten” now it should’ve been earlier, right?
Game 5 looming already and Eichel’s still stuck at zero??? That’s wild. I feel like Carolina’s just getting gassed in the 2nd period, like the legs aren’t there. The article says comeback magic too which makes me think they’ll randomly start scoring again… unless they don’t because Hall said “one or two” goals decide it, which sounds like a bunch of fluff lol.